


All That I Knead

by ryuusea



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Bad Pick-Up Lines, Bad Puns, Cake Shop AU, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-02
Updated: 2015-11-02
Packaged: 2018-04-29 11:58:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,932
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5126738
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ryuusea/pseuds/ryuusea
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Levi works at a cake shop with Hanji and Mike. When subtlety fails to work on the every-busy Levi, his new regular customer has to step up his game. And what better way to get someone's attention than with bad pick up lines.</p>
            </blockquote>





	All That I Knead

**Author's Note:**

> What started as rambling (mostly to myself) last night about bad bakery/sweets-related puns, I ended up turning it into this one-shot today. A little cake shop AU full of pun. Hope I don't make you all too hungry.

 

_Monday_

 

“Welcome to Wall Rosé Cake Shop,” Levi says without even looking up, his eyes slit in concentration, flicking his wrist to top off the last rose-shaped dollop of cream on the edge of the cake. The jingle of the bell from the door barely registers in his brain, his mind too focused on setting the glazed, perfectly sliced half strawberries at just the right angle next to each white rosette.

 

Mike has always gotten on Levi’s case about that, telling him he ought to greet customers properly – Eye contact and all -- and Levi has been working on it lately. He cannot help it that when he is making a cake, he focuses on nothing but that. Like everything he puts his mind to, Levi focuses on the minutest of details, especially if it is something he is passionate about.

 

Well, he had greeted whoever had walked in. That’s a start. Levi still refuses to say the company slogan, “Stop and smell the flours.”

 

Levi, does, at least, pay attention to the sound of the customer’s footfalls. The customer starts at the right side of the store, where Hanji’s rich chocolate cakes and tiramisu are on display. Then, the person moves on to the center section with Mike’s seasonal treats such as the Mont Blancs and mini pumpkin tarts. And finally, to the far left where the lighter, fruit-decorated cakes such as Levi’s strawberry shortcakes and fruit tarts are on display.

 

“Uh, excuse me?”

 

Levi finally pulls away from the cake he is working on, cracking his neck that had gotten stiff with how long he had been hunched over. He turns away from the counter and drifts over to stand behind the cake displays.

 

“Yes, how may I help you,” Levi drones, not bothering to look up. He can barely see over the top of the glass display anyway. Damn Mike and Hanji for being giants.

 

“One Mont Blanc, one tiramisu, and one pear tart, please,” the decidedly male voice (now that Levi is paying attention), requests, from the other side of the glass. Levi ducks down to pluck a slice from each of the three sections, returning to the counter and facing away from the customer to box everything up.

 

The customer putters about behind him. There is a cough and some shuffling about, before he finally moves to wait at the cash register counter. Levi wonders if the customer feels awkward. After all, he does have that unfortunate tendency to make customers feel that way. He is working on it, he swears. This is why he bugs Hanji to stay up front with him when they have shifts together, because her enthusiasm that usually overwhelms customers tends to balance out his resting bitch face.

 

Levi would have called her out earlier, but the clanging and whooping from the back signals that she is whipping up a new concoction. Like Levi stews quietly when he is feeling creative, he knows Hanji is his complete opposite and makes a lot of noise when ideas sweep her up. Better to leave her be. Levi does not like to be interrupted when he is inspired, and he is respectful about that for Hanji and Mike too.

 

Levi quickly folds up one of the paper boxes, hands moving swiftly out of habit. He gently places the cake slices inside, perfectly equidistant from one another, then boxes it up, slaps on the sticker seal, and neatly ties the ribbon as by standard procedure of the cake shop.

 

Levi goes to the counter and rings up the order, “That will be twelve dollars and forty-eight cents,” and he still does not look up, all his attention drawn to the customer’s black and white Converse sneakers.

 

Levi tries not to wrinkle his nose because the sneakers are scuffed up and the laces no longer white, but grayed with dust. At least Dirty Sneakers is not dragging dirt across the floor. But still. Disgusting.

 

The customer hands him a twenty-dollar bill and Levi punches the amount in to the cash drawer, and hands over the change. Dirty Sneakers tosses the loose change into the tip jar and pockets the bills.

 

“Thanks!” Dirty Sneakers says before turning on his filthy heel and exiting out of the shop.

 

“Thank you and come again,” Levi says on autopilot before the door swings shut behind Dirty Sneakers.

 

Half an hour later, Levi switches with Hanji to take his lunch break. He is just removing his apron, when Hanji pokes her head into the back.

 

“Hey, Levi?”

 

“What is it?”

 

“You just did a transaction, right? Customer got three pieces of cake and paid with a twenty?”

 

“Yeah, what about it?”

 

“Whoever it was left their receipt here with their phone number on it.”

 

* * *

 

_Tuesday_

 

Who the hell forgets to order their wedding cake?! Levi wonders if he looks like hell because he sure _feels_ like hell. Three hours before closing shop, they had received an emergency order for a wedding cake.

 

“Oh, don’t worry!” Hanji had reassured the couple. “Levi is our top guy. He’ll whip it up in no time and have it ready for tomorrow morning at five a.m.!”

 

Of course, the task had been given to Levi, whose minimalist aesthetic fit the style of wedding cakes, the most.

 

“Levi! You’re our top dog around here. You studied in France and all. I bet it’ll be a PIECE OF CAKE for you!” Hanji had cheerfully quips.

 

Levi kicks her out of the kitchen.

 

Levi has to try so hard not to write, “Fuck you Franz and Hannah” instead of “Congratulations Franz and Hannah” on the cake.

 

An hour into closing, Hanji switches with Levi so she can prep a mille feuille for tomorrow, as well as give him a break.

 

Levi stalks around behind the counter, distracting himself by rearranging the cakes behind the glass, then wiping down the counters. The door bell jingles and three strawberry shortcakes are ordered. Levi, too cranky and mentally calculating how late he will get home tonight, only notices it is Dirty Sneakers when he sees those beat up shoes walk out the door.

 

An hour and a half before closing, Levi returns to the back and Hanji takes over the front of the shop again.

 

“Levi?”

 

“What?” Levi grits out, hoping he does not sound too irritated.

 

“You have a coffee.”

 

Levi actually pauses, looking up from his flour-covered workstation.

 

“What? I didn’t order any coffee.”

 

“This guy came in with a coffee. And, oh, there’s a phone number on the cup. Which, by the way, is the same number as the one left on the receipt from yesterday.”

 

Levi blinks, lifting his arm to scrub at his tired eyes with his sleeves.

 

It must have been Dirty Sneakers. Damn. Had he looked _that_ tired?

 

Levi is not one for coffee, but he could really use some coffee to fuel him through the night.

 

“He was _so cute_ ,” Hanji gushes, “So cute you could eat him up!”

 

“Hanji, stop.”

 

* * *

 

_Wednesday_

 

Levi is so damn grateful for Dirty Sneakers, the power of caffeine, and the benevolence of his boss. Last night, Dirty Sneakers had gifted him with a piping hot double-shot latte, and Levi who is more used to tealeaves than coffee beans, had been wired the whole night. Then, when Mike came in at four a.m. and seen Levi looking paler than the beautiful white wedding cake beside him, had sent him home and told him to rest up, and only come in after lunch to work a half day.

 

Refreshed after a morning full of sleep, and the pleasure of having a leisurely breakfast at his favorite café with a good cup of assam black tea, Levi is fully recharged.

 

Levi finishes checking the money drawer to start his shift, shutting it right when the front door jingles.

 

No Dirty Sneakers today, but a pair of black ballet flats and a fairly clean pair of brown men’s Oxfords walk in.

 

Levi is attentive to the faces that come in today.

 

A young woman with short dark hair stands before him, standing straight with her leather-jacket clad shoulders pulled back. A slightly shorter blonde young man is just behind her, his stance shyer, with hands stuffed inside his tan-colored pants.

 

The girl is scrutinizing the cake stand, and then finally, she meets Levi’s stare and asks, “Which cakes did you make?”

 

Levi arches a brow. How direct.

 

“All of the ones in the section on the left,” Levi responds, and he moves over to that part of the display, following her movement on the other side of the glass.

 

The dark haired girl scans the entire section quickly, eyes narrowing. “I’ll take one of everything in that section,” she finally says.

 

How odd. Well, so long as she is paying, Levi does not mind. He opens the glass and begins to pluck out the slices of cake.

 

“And how may I help you?” Levi directs at the blonde one.

 

“O-Oh! I’m fine!” Blondie says, lifting his hands up, giving a small polite smile, “That’s a lot of cakes, so, uh, we’re ordering together.”

 

Levi nods and rings up the dozen little cakes.

 

The pair leaves as quickly as they had appeared in the store.

 

Around three p.m., another pair of young ones pops into his store. They look to be about the same age as Dark Girl and Blondie, but are louder than them. They are bantering back and forth even from before they step into the shop.

 

“--Had to see what that insane bastard is so goo-goo eyed over,” The one with the long face and two-toned hair says.

 

“And to think his sister even came with Armin,” Baldie says back.

 

“She probably bought half the store!”

 

“Haha, yeah, I said I’ll bring Sasha over to help her out later.”

 

“Hello and welcome to Wall Rosé Cake Shop,” Levi cuts in.

 

This snaps the pair of young men out of their conversation.

 

“Uh,” Baldie says helpfully.

 

“We’re… Just looking,” Two-toned hair says.

 

Levi nods. In the end, the two back off into a corner of the shop and heatedly whisper at one another. Levi watches them out of the corner of his eye, in case they do anything funny. They glance at him repeatedly, but in the end, do not order anything and just leave.

 

What a bunch of weird kids.

 

* * *

 

_Thursday_

 

Levi cannot believe Hanji had forgotten to wipe down the front of the glass displays last night. She had asked for the next two days off for vacation, and had left the cake shop in a flurry last night, cinnamon and flour smudged on her smiling face.

 

There are still fingerprints all over the glass display and the shop opened five minutes ago. Such a presentation is unacceptable. Levi begins his attack with Windex and a cleaning rag. He clicks his tongue at particularly persistent fingerprints at the bottom right corner of the display (probably from kids – damn them and their greasy hands) and bends over to rub at it.

 

The door jingles, but Levi, barely registers it, eyes honed in on the stain.

 

There is a cough and the shuffling of feet.

 

“Ah, excuse me.”

 

Levi does not look up, but turns his head just enough to see the pair of feet standing just off to the side and behind him.

 

Black Converse, off-white laces, and one foot twisting about nervously.

 

 _Dirty Sneakers_.

 

“Welcome to Wall Rosé Cake Shop. I’ll be with you in a moment,” Levi says.

 

“I’d like to order the buns,” Dirty Sneakers’ voice says from above him.

 

Levi blinks and frowns, “I’m sorry sir, this is a cake shop, not a bread shop—“

 

“I meant your buns.”

 

Levi suddenly realizes he is still bent over and shoots upright, turning around. His eyes scan upward, taking in dirty sneakers, skinny black jeans, a casual button up under a cardigan, and finally up to the young man’s face. Levi hastily walks backwards to stand behind the counter to put space between them, keeping his eyes on that face --A face with caramel brown skin, honey golden eyes, and adorably messy hair the color of delicious dark chocolate. _A face so pretty he could eat it up._

 

 _Wait, what the fuck, had he really thought that_? Has he been around Hanji too long that she is rubbing off on him?

 

Dirty Sneakers kid – _No, not kid, he is young, but not that young. Twenty-three? Twenty-four?_ – Leans over and rests one arm against the glass display.

 

“I hope the coffee was to your liking. Was it enough cream?” And the young man tilts his head to the side, a playful but not cocky smile turning up his lips. His arm slides a little against the glass, pushing him more into Levi’s space. Levi’s eyes flick down as this brings his attention to the young man’s collarbones, curved like perfectly sculpted fondant.

 

Levi darts his eyes back up immediately.

 

“Don’t lean on the glass like that, I just cleaned it,” Levi says, the words falling out before they could be processed and filtered. _Stellar response. Way to go, Levi_.

 

Dirty Sneakers removes himself from the glass display, rocking back onto his heels and shoving his thumbs into the front pockets of his tight jeans.

 

“Ah, sorry,” He apologizes. “I’m Eren. What’s your name?”

 

Levi points to his nametag. He supposes he is shooting Eren a dry look.

 

Eren chuckles. “Oh, right. Levi. _Levi_.” He says, rolling Levi’s name on his tongue, as if tasting it. “So now that I know your name, can I get your number?”

 

“Hmm, persistent, aren’t you?” Levi taunts back.

 

Eren’s smile stretches into a toothy grin, “You could say I’m like yeast, I _rise to the occasion_.”

 

Levi snorts. “That was horrible.”

 

“But at least I have your attention now?” Eren responds. “Since being subtle didn’t seem to work very well.”

 

Eren comes forward again, this time making sure to rest his elbows against the cash register counter instead. Their faces are about level now.

 

“Being straightforward is best,” Levi says, voice softening in the slightest, entranced by the other’s pretty golden eyes. “But, that was really bad.”

 

Eren laughs. “You’re tough. Guess I’ll have to butter you up.”

 

This time, Levi cannot stop himself from rolling his eyes.

 

“Are you actually going get something, or what?” Levi says.

 

“You. You’re all that I… k-n-e-a-d, _knead_.”

 

A snort of a laugh actually escapes Levi this time and Eren’s face lights up at that.

 

Levi clears his throat and deadpans, “Hey, do I need to say it again? This is a cake shop, not a bread shop.”

 

“Then how about I _pound_ that cake,” Eren says, arching a brow and attempts to smirk, but is unable to stop himself from laughing. He pulls back so he does not laugh right on Levi’s face.

 

“Oh god,” Eren wheezes, “Okay, that was embarrassing, how did I even say that?”

 

Red dusts across Eren’s cheeks, and the color looks good on him, Levi decides.

 

Levi lifts a hand to his mouth, coughing and covering up the smile that sneakily makes it way onto his face.

 

_What a cutie pie._

 

 _Damnit_. He had unintentionally punned in his head.

 

* * *

 

_Friday_

 

Levi is sweeping the front of the store when Mike comes in to take over at five o’clock.

 

He stares at Levi for a while until Levi cannot stand it anymore and snaps.

 

“What?” Levi demands. Mike looms in and sniffs at Levi, as per his usual odd mannerism of sniffing other people to read them. The taller man smirks and his eyes twinkle from under the fall of his blonde hair.

 

“Levi, you can take off early today.”

 

Levi is baffled. But he leaves at Mike’s insistence.

 

He gets a text from a certain cutie pie on the way home.

 

He ends up having a Friday night date.

 

Eren kisses him at the end of said date. His lips taste better than they look: _Sugar and spice_ and Levi has to stop himself from thinking about all the _not nice_ things he would like them to do.

 

* * *

 

Two weeks later, Levi finds himself steadily dating said cutie pie, who likes to come by after work to walk home with him.

 

“Wow! There’s a new cake on display on Levi’s side!” Eren exclaims when he comes in one Friday night. He zooms straight over to the left side display, hands hovering over the glass and fingers twitching, but not touching the glass.

 

“Welcome,” Mike greets, and Hanji flounces out of the kitchen at the sound of Eren’s voice, to stand beside Levi. The three are here at the shop at the same time all this week, what with Thanksgiving coming around the corner.

 

“It’s… so different,” Eren muses aloud. “All of Levi’s cakes are always so light and airy, like sponge cakes or fruit tarts…”

 

Mike nods.

 

“Levi pretty much never makes cakes like this!” Hanji crows. “But it passed Mike’s sniff and taste approval test, so it was added to the lineup starting today!”

 

“What is it?” Eren asks, eyes glittering at the three with intrigue.

 

Levi walks over to pull one slice out of the display to show Eren, while he explains it.

 

“It’s a dark chocolate triple layer cake with salted caramel. Layers so _thick_. Extra rich and decadent, it’s almost _sinful_.”

 

Eren’s eyes glimmer, but in a different and darker way versus two seconds ago. He licks his lips and breathes out, “I’d like a taste of that. One to go, please.”

 

_Bon appétit._


End file.
